The whole of the “Let’s be nice to each other” movement is predicated by morons/idiots/fill-in-your-favorite-derisive-term-here who are trying not to be criticized themselves.

It’s been noticed a few times by others, including clueless folks like me, but it gets the proper, thorough study it deserves in Scocca’s piece. He discusses behavior that is quite horrible-

-sorry, “double-plus-ungood,” to use the terms favored by the perpetrators of cultural suppression noted in the piece, in trying to keep them free of having to answer for their misdeeds and stupid actions. And it’s folks who probably deserve to answer for their actions the most that are especially flagrant in their efforts to keep from having to answer for their activities.

It’s worth it. Go, get yourself a drink to sip as you read it. By the time I finished, I needed a few rounds of something pretty strong to get over it…

Then ask yourself this: If I did something stupid, could I accept the criticism for it?

Every day, I have to. When I make a mistake, I hear about it. When I get a rejection or a bad notice, I study them to see where I could have done better. Even the ones that can be boiled down to “o u suck!” trollspeak are valuable, because knowing the mind of the audience is always worth it. Sometimes the criticisms come fast and furious, without let up, and when that’s all done I have to deal with what people feel about my writing as well…

But if these folks get away with saying, “You can’t say anything nasty,” hoping that they never hear what they need to in order to do better, all that leads to is pent-up voices that, when you take away the tools they have to express their dissatisfaction, have only a few options to finally express their dismay, and usually those options of last resort tend to get badly out of hand.

Since we evoked George Orwell earlier, let’s look at an example of a state that most closely followed the model he gave us in 1984: Romania. One of the most oppressive regimes that embraced the leader cult totalitarian model, it did its best to hold down its people, controling as much of the debate as it could.

And came Christmas of 1989, they had themselves a holiday that might make your last gathering of your messed-up family seem tame by comparison…

So if there’s room for another Yuletide story this year, let’s add this one: Listen to us, or else! And if you don’t want to hear it, get ready to reap what ye sow…